General Architectural Intelligence.

of old abbeys . " Our Ladye of Walsingham " was only surpassed in this respect by " Our Ladye of Loretto , " in Italy : and before the dissolution of the monasteries , a pilgrimage to her shrine at Walsingham was undertaken , as a religous duty , by the devout of all ages . Eobert Bruce and his Queen , and several foreign princes , besides our own

sovereigns , Henry III ., Edward I . and IL , ancl Henry VIII ., came hither as pilgrims ; ancl of the latter , the tradition is that he walked the last mile of the way barefooted , in order to show his devotion .

St . Ann ' s Church , Ai ' illenhall , has been consecrated by the Bishop of Lichfield . The edifice is built of a hard volcanic stone , from the Powk Hill epiarry , near AA'alsall , with facings of stone from the quarries of Brewood and Coclsail ; the facings inside the building are of Bath stone . It is of the Early Decorated style of architecture , with a small tower at the west end , and will accommodate about 450

people . Inside the church the body of the building is divided into two parts by four arches , resting on three light circular shafts , and the southern of these divisions and the tower are the portions which have been lately added . 'The northern portion contains about 200 sittings , and has been used for the past two or three years under episcopal license ; butbeing too small for the recpiirements of the

, place , the building was enlarged , so that there are now 450 sittings , 150 of which are free . The chancel is at the eastern end of that portion of the building which has been lately added . About £ 1200 or £ 1400 have been expended iu the extension of the building , aud the cost of the original chapel-of-ease was about £ 1500 or £ 1700 .

Ihe parish church of Ivirton-in-Lindscy , Lincolnshire ; has been reopened for divine worship . The church is a building of the 12 th century ; but , having heen rebuilt at later times , it has every period of architecture clown to the 15 th century : and , from the clerestory being of this date , together with the windows of the north and south aisles , this latter period seems to prevail , until a close inspection

shows some specimens of the early period . The chancel has been rebuilt by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners . Thc church has been entirely repewed with open benches . The roof has been enriched by the introduction of hammer beams and carved ribs . The south porch has been reconstructed into a baptistery , where a new font has been placed . The north porch has also been rebuilt in accordance with the earlier architecture of the church .

For some time past , St . Mary ' s Eoman Catholic Church , in Bridge-street , Bishopwearmouth , has become too small for the congregation ; therefore , funds have been raised , and a new church , named St . Patrick ' s , has been erected in Church-street , Sunderland ; and , in addition to thc new church of St . Patrick , the Eoman Catholics on the Wear have purchased a iece of ground at Monkwearmouthwhere

p , they intend to erect a church and school-rooms . This piece of ground is said to have formerly belonged to the ancient monastery of Monkwearmouth , during the life-time of the venerable Bede .

The foundation-stone of a new church has been laid at Byker , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , by Sir Walter C . James , Bart . The site ^ of the church , which will be dedicated to St . Michael , is a prominent one in Byker fields , on thc west side of the village , on apiece of ground known as "Byker Folly . " The church is Decorated , and will consist of a nave , south aisles , and chancel , with a spire of moderate height . The aisle will be

separated from the nave by a row of cylindrical columns , with octagonal caps . The roof will be an open timber roof , stained and varnished ; and there will be seats for 490 persons , mostly free . It is the intention of thc Gloucester Grammar School Charity Trustees to proceed with the erection of new schools immediately ^ The position of the new buildings has been settledand instructions havo been iven to the architects

, g , to use all possible despatch in preparing their drawings ancl specifications , for the purpose of enabling the builders to give in their estimates . The new buildings will bo of brick , with stone-dressings , and comprise a large and lofty schoolroom , with three good class-rooms . A lavatory and playshed will also be provided ; and it is proposed to erect a fives court for the exercise of the boys during play hours .

General Architectural Intelligence.

| Mr . Spurgeon ' s Tabernacle , USTewington , is now completed , and has been formally opened . In plan , tbe building is arectangle , measuringT 74 feet by 85 feet outside the walls , exclusive of the portico . The ceiling is vault-shaped , and is divided by ribs in plaster work . It is supported on twenty castiron shafts , which have enriched capitals , from which

springsemi-circular arches , the soffits enriched with guilloche ornaments . The chapel is lighted on both of its sides by sixteen scpiare-headed windows on the ground-floor level , eighteen in first gallery , eighteen in second gallery , and seven in front , with circular heads , in addition to which there arelouvre-lights in the roof . The tribune is large and open : below it , within the enclosure bounded by the steps ,

is a marble baptistery . The walls are matched-boarded . The ground-floor ascends from about midway , so that the seats farthest from the preacher are raised above those in front . At the western or tribune end of the building is planned a library , with male ancl female candidates' rooms , as also vestries and class-rooms ; aud iu the basement there are school-room , four a class-rooms , and a large lecture-hall . The following has been given as a correct comparison between the Surrey Gardens Music Hall and Mr . Spurgeon ' s Tabernacle : —

Sitting Area . Surrey Hall . Feet . Mr . Spurgeon ' s Tabernacle . Ground-floor and platform S , C 25 " Peet . 1 st gallery 4 , 598 Ground-floor 10 , 227 2 nd „ 3 , 250 1 st eallery 7 , 268 3 rd „ 3 , 250 2111 ! " ,, 7 , 730 Total 19 , 723 Total 25 , 225

The Tabernacle affords seats , including 200 recently attached to the seat-ends , for 4 , 401 . persons , with standing room for a large number in addition . The means of ingress and egress , including the staircases , are very satisfactory . There are in all fifteen doors , —eight for the ground floor , and the remainder for the galleries . The stairs have no windows , and are supported with iron columns , and wroughtiron

carriages . The flights are about Sfeet wide . The careful attention which has been paid in this respect is highly creditable to the architect . The building is lighted by lamps placed at short distances round the front of " both galleries , and star-burners placed on the top of the abacus , all round , of each column . The colour is white , slightly gilded in parts . The cost of the building and enclosures has been £ 22 , 600 ; including the land , about £ 31 , 000 .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE riIG . IiI . UAGE TO MECCA . In the grand processions of the Sultan's presents on the starting of the Haji or Pilgrimage to Mecca , at Constantinople , I noticed that most of the boxes of presents were marked with the emblem , p lainly and distinctly . The emblem was in most cases gilt . —HYDE CLAIUCE .

MASONRY DISSECTED . If "M . M ., " King ' s Lynn , who writes for "Masonry Dissected " in your MAGAZINE of April 13 , has not yet seen a copy , I can lend him one ; but fear that , though it may gratify his curiosity , it will not tend much to his instruction or edification . —H . J . HIGGINSON , W . M . 1120 , Abergavenny , April 30 , 1861 .

FOREIGN NOTES . Marseilles Lodge ( 1822 ) . —As a contribution towards materials for foreign Masonic notes , I give some extracts from a diploma lent to mo by that zealous Mason W . Bro . Or , Laurie , P . M . 988 . Tho lodge is named L'Amiable Sagesse , of Marseilles , under the jurisdiction of the G . O . of France , the date 26 th February 1822 . The diloma is the customary

, , p lodge diploma on parchment of the old form . The parties signing are , Bergerac , E . G ., acting AV . M . ; Colomb , E . C , S . W , ; Combe , E . G ., J . AV . ; L . Sauvilli , ills , Orator ; L . G-ibaut , cadet E . C , Garde des Sceaux ; Bizot , E . G . ; Olive , E . G . ; Delangue , Elu ; Charles Flescheim , Stefano Eadmilli , Ducheny , Dubravich , Bourges , Duchene , Ferrari , Ant .

Cazejus . From time to time old foreign diplomas come